My Fold-n-Stuff Method

[commonsenseman]

It's officially taken me just shy of two years to figure out flakes, and I still have plenty to learn. Flakes are by far my favorite form of tobacco because you can control so many aspects of the experience. From folding-n-stuffing, to fully rubbing out, to the "screw-in" method (or, in my case the "screw-up" method), there are many different ways to prepare a flake to be smoked. Besides that there are numerous flakes to be smoked, all of them have slightly different burn rates, are processed a little thicker or thinner than others (in the case of SG flakes, they're both), some have a rubbery texture, & some come dry as a bone. To throw another wrench in the gears, every flake smokes differently in every pipe.

So how's a fella to figure all this out, without spending years & years? Well, long story short, he's not. Nomatter how much advice anybody offers, it's one of those things you have to figure out on your own. Just like riding a bike. A few well placed pointers can help speed up the process though, I'll try to keep this as easy to understand as possible.

For the purpose of this thread, I'll focus on the fold-n-stuff method, my personal favorite. I like it because it smokes very slowly, allowing for a much longer smoke than other methods. If done properly, it can really enhance the "flake experience".

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt110/commonsenseman/HPIM2397.jpg (http://s602.photobucket.com/user/commonsenseman/media/HPIM2397.jpg.html)

Ok, enough rambling, here's my "commonsense" approach. (thanks to Dub for some of the methods)

Pipes: A lot of people seem to say that a narrow, tall pipe is best for flakes. I have no evidence against this, except that you could potentially smoke them in any pipe, not only tall thin ones. For each pipe the amount of tobacco needed may differ, as well as the number of times it will have to be folded to fit properly. One of my personal favorite pipes for smoking VA flakes is My Savinelli 101, it's a very basic pipe with an average sized bowl. It's kind of a chubby Billiard. Technically a filter pipe, but I don't use filters most of the time. It just seems to like flakes so much that I smoke them quite often in it.



Flakes: Of course any flake will do. One thing to consider is the moisture content. If it's too dry it'll crumble into nothing or spontaneously combust in your face. Too wet & it'll taste like crap, smoke like crap, & leave a ton of moisture in the bottom of your bowl. Not to mention that the more moist a flake is, the more it seems to expand, sometimes making the draw impossibly tight. While all tobacco is slightly different, I prefer most of mine just on the moist side of really dry. In other words, dry, but not quite crumbly dry. To gauge this, when I fold a flake in half I like it to break a little bit, but not snap like a twig.

Method: After drying my flake to my preferred moisture content, I set it on the table next to my pipe. I do this to try to guage the bowl depth. I shoot for about 2/3rds the depth of the bowl, so it leaves a little bit of air at the bottom. I can't emphasize enough how much of a difference this makes. For the above savinelli, with most "normal" sized flakes (like Irish Flake), I fold them in thirds, trying to keep each section the same length. Then I sort of roll it the other way to make it a cylinder of vertical strands of tobacco. Here's where you can control the rate of burn. (By rubbing it out just a little you can increase the rate, by leaving it as is it will burn much more slowly.) Then, I start to put the roll of tobacco into the pipe. It takes some experience both with the pipe & with the flake to determine how much to shove in. If you fill it too tight, the tobacco will expand making the draw way too tight. If you fill it too loose, you won't be able to keep it lit. A good general rule of thumb I've found is to fill it 75-80% of the diameter of the pipe with tobacco. You can test the draw & it should be quite loose at this point, since it will be expanding after the initial light. Then I will sprinkle a very small amount of well rubbed out tobacco on top. I have learned that too much of this actually makes it harder to get it lit properly. It make take several false-lights to get it going all the way. One way to help is to "pull" the tobacco towards the middle of the bowl with the little spoon thingy on the czech tool, that makes getting the outside tobacco lit much easier. Once you get it going puff very slowly & methodically, even rhythmically, the cadence required for this method is slightly different than other methods. Do not tamp down the tobacco after the initial light (even there, do it as gently as humanly possible), this will close the air pocket at the bottom of the bowl & possibly ruin the draw, thus ruining the entire experience. If anything is needed to maintain, just gently pull the tobacco inwards, and/or re-light.

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt110/commonsenseman/HPIM2398.jpg (http://s602.photobucket.com/user/commonsenseman/media/HPIM2398.jpg.html)

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt110/commonsenseman/HPIM2399.jpg (http://s602.photobucket.com/user/commonsenseman/media/HPIM2399.jpg.html)

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt110/commonsenseman/HPIM2400.jpg (http://s602.photobucket.com/user/commonsenseman/media/HPIM2400.jpg.html)

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt110/commonsenseman/HPIM2401.jpg (http://s602.photobucket.com/user/commonsenseman/media/HPIM2401.jpg.html)

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt110/commonsenseman/HPIM2402.jpg (http://s602.photobucket.com/user/commonsenseman/media/HPIM2402.jpg.html)

http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt110/commonsenseman/HPIM2403.jpg (http://s602.photobucket.com/user/commonsenseman/media/HPIM2403.jpg.html)
That's about it. If done properly it can be extremely rewarding, if not it can be extremely frustrating. For more info check out the MacBaren page on flakes (http://www.mac-baren.com/Default.aspx?ID=1220), very informative.

Carry on. :pipe:

[Branzig]

Great "How To!"

I love flakes and find many of them to be the highest quality tobaccos around. They are so versatile too in the way they smoke and how you can prep them. I must admit, fold and stuff is my favorite way to smoke them though.

It does take a lot of practice though, to the new pipers, don't get frustrated, just keep on experimenting and it will click one day :pipe:

Oh yeah, and RG to you!

[commonsenseman]

Thanks Brandon!

This is actually a really old post from Puff, but I thought it was still relevant. I ALMOST even sound like I know what I'm talking about.

FYI, it's been about 5 years since I posted this, I still don't have flakes totally figured-out.

[Branzig]

Thanks Brandon!

This is actually a really old post from Puff, but I thought it was still relevant. I ALMOST even sound like I know what I'm talking about.

FYI, it's been about 5 years since I posted this, I still don't have flakes totally figured-out.

I thought I remembered seeing it over there before, but who cares? It is on the Bum now and totally relevant! :encouragement:

It will help out a lot of the new piper's for certain.

Oh, and to make you feel better, I don't think any of us really KNOW what we are doing :p

[Trroutman22]

2nd thread of yours that I haven't seen the pictures. Are others seeing them? Do I have some setting I need to uncheck? Am I getting blocked by a local filter? Help me! :)

[commonsenseman]

2nd thread of yours that I haven't seen the pictures. Are others seeing them? Do I have some setting I need to uncheck? Am I getting blocked by a local filter? Help me! :)

That's really weird. I do see the pictures. They're hosted on photobucket, not sure if that makes a difference.

[Branzig]

That's really weird. I do see the pictures. They're hosted on photobucket, not sure if that makes a difference.

There is a hidden imagestore code in there from Poof. You can't see it until you go in and edit it out. Same thing happened to me when I xfered my posts over. You can see them on your side of the computer screen, but no one else can on theirs.

Either re-edit the photos back in from photobucket or hit edit and remove the imagestore code.

It's a pain :livid:

[commonsenseman]

OK, I re-posted all of the pictures. Thanks fellas!

[Branzig]

OK, I re-posted all of the pictures. Thanks fellas!

Much Better :pipe:

[Trroutman22]

YAY I see them!!

[commonsenseman]

Glad the pics are working now.

I say in the original post that it's bracken flake, but I'm 95% sure that's ABF.

[freestoke]

Superior, Jeff! Great pics, too!

Wad that cylinder up and you have a musketball, another method that uses an air pocket. The musketball is my own preferred method -- even for Royal Yacht, which is ribbon cut -- the choice of lazy pipers 'round the globe. I agree that flakes offer the highest grade of tobacco available, and as a rule they are also richer in Vitamin N than ribbon and shag cuts.

[tmoran]

I am a musketballer as well.

[Emperor Zurg]

I am a musketballer as well.

+1 thanks to freestoke

[MrMotoyoshi]

Excellent write up. I never rub em out :roll eyes:

I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's like eating pizza with knife and fork or dismantling a hamburger and eating it separately. But some people do that :) Just not for me.

[pdq_wizzard]

Thanks just tried it, seams to works better than the rub out

[Cool Breeze]

Awesome post. Thanks a lot.
I'm a total rookie who is just starting to experiment with flakes.

I've heard that some flakes change flavors with different methods. I think I'm going to experiment with some and try them using different methods with the same tobacco and see what differences I find if any. It'll be fun trying anyway, even if I don't see much difference.

[Emperor Zurg]

commonsenseman

Had to try this so I folded and stuffed half a flake of FVF. Burned it for an hour and a half and there's still some left! (but I got to get to work now). Was a PIA to get going as I didn't have any left to rub out for tinder on top.

How do you do this for the ragged flakes like BCF or 1792? Most of my flakes of those are disintegrating all on their own.

[commonsenseman]

commonsenseman

Had to try this so I folded and stuffed half a flake of FVF. Burned it for an hour and a half and there's still some left! (but I got to get to work now). Was a PIA to get going as I didn't have any left to rub out for tinder on top.

How do you do this for the ragged flakes like BCF or 1792? Most of my flakes of those are disintegrating all on their own.

Glad it worked for you!

It's a little trickier with flakes like that, but it's still possible, even with broken flakes. Basically I try to "line it up" in my hand & arrange about the same amount as a traditional flake (depending on pipe size of course). Then just fold it & roll it as normal to make a sort of cylindrical tower of tobacco just slightly shorter than the bowl depth.

[Emperor Zurg]

Glad it worked for you!

Yes, it worked great. Thank you for enabling me to perfect my unhealthy behavior :D :pipe:

How about with those spun coins. I really enjoy PS Lux Bullseye from time to time but I've always rubbed it out and then broke up the center disk into cubes. Could never figure out how some fold and stuff those round coins.

[commonsenseman]

Yes, it worked great. Thank you for enabling me to perfect my unhealthy behavior :D :pipe:

How about with those spun coins. I really enjoy PS Lux Bullseye from time to time but I've always rubbed it out and then broke up the center disk into cubes. Could never figure out how some fold and stuff those round coins.

Can't say that I've ever tried it with a coin, I imagine that it would be a matter of getting all the the strands to point the same direction. I've had pretty good luck with LTF & that's kind of a "weaved-flake".

[rx2man]

@ commonsenseman, thanks for taking the time to write this up. 3 yrs ago I started smoking cigars and a few months later picked up some pipes and tobacco. As everyone knows smoking a pipe and smoking a cigar are two different things. In the last year I my interest in pipes has increased. This is a great post that I am going to make use of.......the question is PS Luxury Navy Flake or SG Full Virginia Flake......

[commonsenseman]

@ commonsenseman, thanks for taking the time to write this up. 3 yrs ago I started smoking cigars and a few months later picked up some pipes and tobacco. As everyone knows smoking a pipe and smoking a cigar are two different things. In the last year I my interest in pipes has increased. This is a great post that I am going to make use of.......the question is PS Luxury Navy Flake or SG Full Virginia Flake......
Both excellent choices!

[JustTroItIn]

Yes, it worked great. Thank you for enabling me to perfect my unhealthy behavior :D :pipe:

How about with those spun coins. I really enjoy PS Lux Bullseye from time to time but I've always rubbed it out and then broke up the center disk into cubes. Could never figure out how some fold and stuff those round coins.

For coins like Escudo and DNR I fold in half than fold in half again, stuff and stack. Usually 2, sometimes 3, coins will fill a bowl. It doesn't seem like they would, but it's amazing how well both tobaccos burn.

Three Nuns has much smaller coins and I prefer to put a bit of shredded tobacco in the bottom of the bowl, stack a few unfolded coins on top of that, then top the bowl with a bit more shredded baccy.

[Emperor Zurg]

@ commonsenseman, thanks for taking the time to write this up. 3 yrs ago I started smoking cigars and a few months later picked up some pipes and tobacco. As everyone knows smoking a pipe and smoking a cigar are two different things. In the last year I my interest in pipes has increased. This is a great post that I am going to make use of.......the question is PS Luxury Navy Flake or SG Full Virginia Flake......

FYI Newminster 400 (Superior Navy Flake) is an excellent virginia flake and it's inexpensive to boot

[Emperor Zurg]

For coins like Escudo and DNR I fold in half than fold in half again, stuff and stack. Usually 2, sometimes 3, coins will fill a bowl. It doesn't seem like they would, but it's amazing how well both tobaccos burn.

Three Nuns has much smaller coins and I prefer to put a bit of shredded tobacco in the bottom of the bowl, stack a few unfolded coins on top of that, then top the bowl with a bit more shredded baccy.

So you fold in quarters then? Or fold again the long way?

I tried the fold n stuff with PS bullseye. I figured you'd want some sort of a Z fold to keep the Cavendish dot in the center of the fire but when I tried that in the past, it met with failure. May not have been so much the folding method though as I was still somewhat unfamiliar with moisture level and packing density back then. Seems the Cavendish needs to be pretty dry to burn right.

[JustTroItIn]

So you fold in quarters then? Or fold again the long way?

I tried the fold n stuff with PS bullseye. I figured you'd want some sort of a Z fold to keep the Cavendish dot in the center of the fire but when I tried that in the past, it met with failure. May not have been so much the folding method though as I was still somewhat unfamiliar with moisture level and packing density back then. Seems the Cavendish needs to be pretty dry to burn right.

Yes, I fold in quarters. I'm really not sure how else you would do it without the coins falling apart. Folding in quarters the tobacco already breaks up a bit but usually ends up with the grain of the tobacco orientated similar to that of flat flake.

[rx2man]

FYI Newminster 400 (Superior Navy Flake) is an excellent virginia flake and it's inexpensive to boot

SOmething I will have to pick up then......TY

[commonsenseman]

Just folded two coins of escudo in quarters, works like a charm!

[Cardinal]

Thanks for taking the time to write this, and for the clear pictures. I have not figured the flake out at all yet, so this will be fun to try.

I just put out some tobacco to dry a little overnight and will give this method a try in the morning.

[coffeecup]

Thanks Brandon!

This is actually a really old post from Puff, but I thought it was still relevant. I ALMOST even sound like I know what I'm talking about.

FYI, it's been about 5 years since I posted this, I still don't have flakes totally figured-out.

Jeff! This is one great informative post.:pipe: My first question for myself is "where the heck was I" when you posted this on Puff? As you already know that I have been following all of your posts since I originally got on Puff and I cannot believe that I missed this.:confused: I can only conclude that you posted this before I came on the scene. Even though I have been folding and stuffing flake tobaccos for several years there are subtitle differences in my approach that I intend to look over carefully; as "Mr. Moo" has said in the past "even old codgers can learn from young bucks".:friendly_wink:

[Lostmason]

Thank You for this thread,,,now could you explain the "musketball"method.Also do you have any suggestions as to a med flavored aromatic.Vit N isn't a problem,I've been smoking cigars and ciggarettes long enough that anything light would probably kill me.

[commonsenseman]

Thanks for taking the time to write this, and for the clear pictures. I have not figured the flake out at all yet, so this will be fun to try.

I just put out some tobacco to dry a little overnight and will give this method a try in the morning.
Let us know how it goes!

[commonsenseman]

Jeff! This is one great informative post.[emoji14]ipe: My first question for myself is "where the heck was I" when you posted this on Puff? As you already know that I have been following all of your posts since I originally got on Puff and I cannot believe that I missed this.:confused: I can only conclude that you posted this before I came on the scene. Even though I have been folding and stuffing flake tobaccos for several years there are subtitle differences in my approach that I intend to look over carefully; as "Mr. Moo" has said in the past "even old codgers can learn from young bucks".:friendly_wink:

Hey Moe, thanks for the kind words!

I don't remember the exact date, but it must have been in the fairly early days.

I would love to hear more about your method, like I said, I'm no pro.

[commonsenseman]

Thank You for this thread,,,now could you explain the "musketball"method.Also do you have any suggestions as to a med flavored aromatic.Vit N isn't a problem,I've been smoking cigars and ciggarettes long enough that anything light would probably kill me.

You know what? I've never done the musketball method. I'm sure one of the other fine BOTL would be willing to share their process though.

I'm not a huge aromatic guy, but my favorites are from blenders like Samuel Gawith. I love their chocolate flake, 1792 is the best aromatic though! Perhaps Tobias Lutz could point you towards more aromatics.

[Tobias Lutz]

You know what? I've never done the musketball method. I'm sure one of the other fine BOTL would be willing to share their process though.

I'm not a huge aromatic guy, but my favorites are from blenders like Samuel Gawith. I love their chocolate flake, 1792 is the best aromatic though! Perhaps Tobias Lutz could point you towards more aromatics.

SG Firedance Flake is delicious, IMO

[tmoran]

Thank You for this thread,,,now could you explain the "musketball"method.Also do you have any suggestions as to a med flavored aromatic.Vit N isn't a problem,I've been smoking cigars and ciggarettes long enough that anything light would probably kill me.

I must give credit where it is due. The musketball method is a creation of freestoke. The basic idea is to roll the flake into a musketall of the proper caliber and lightly stuff it into the chamber, leaving a small air pocket at the bottom. One additional thing I like to do is to throw some small scraps on the top of the musketball in order to prime the charge. The below links to our old home, so I hope it works.

http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/293111-musketballing.html

[commonsenseman]

SG Firedance Flake is delicious, IMO
Can't believe I forgot this one! Great suggestion.

[tmoran]

Also, I recommend Gawith and Hogarth Scotch Flake Scented as a great aro.

[Tgs679]

Great info.

[freestoke]

I must give credit where it is due. The musketball method is a creation of freestoke. The basic idea is to roll the flake into a musketall of the proper caliber and lightly stuff it into the chamber, leaving a small air pocket at the bottom. One additional think I like to do is to throw some small scraps on the top of the musketball in order to prime the charge. The below links to our old home, so I hope it works.

http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/293111-musketballing.html

As I say in that post, I merely gave the method a better name than "cannonballing". I think I mentioned it later it that thread, but I did figure out how to musketball Royal Yacht! As a matter of fact, I am smoking a musketball of RY right now!

[Cardinal]

Let us know how it goes!

Well, I'll be honest here - it didn't work out too well on the first try for me. I never could get it to stay lit, even though the flake was very dry this morning. I'm just chalking it up to user error and will keep practicing. This felt MUCH more promising a method than the way I'd tried doing it before.

[Lostmason]

Thanks Guys,,,now I'll have to start filling out the list,sounds like fun:pipe:

[commonsenseman]

Well, I'll be honest here - it didn't work out too well on the first try for me. I never could get it to stay lit, even though the flake was very dry this morning. I'm just chalking it up to user error and will keep practicing. This felt MUCH more promising a method than the way I'd tried doing it before.

Hmm, my guess is if you had proper moisture content, it's most likely related to airflow. Another variable to consider is the fact that some flakes expand more than others, which could cause a more or less restricted airflow. It takes a little while to get a feel for how tightly it should fit pre-light, in my experience most of the time it should be fairly loose, it can always be tightened up with a little tamp.

[Cardinal]

Thank you, I'm going to keep at it. Will try going a little looser next time, because it felt dry enough that it should have burned no problem.

[Emperor Zurg]

Giving it a go with some PE lux BE flake. 2 coins, folded in quarters, cylindrified (I just made that word up) and stuffed with a bit of tinder on top. So far, so delicious.

[Mister Moo]

My Fold-n-Stuff Method
It's officially taken me just shy of two years to figure out flakes, a

I am going to have a flake workshop in Raleigh this summer. We cannot wait two more years for you, jeffle.

[commonsenseman]

I am going to have a flake workshop in Raleigh this summer. We cannot wait two more years for you, jeffle.

Since I originally posted this 5 years ago & it had taken me 2 years then to "figure flakes out". I'll see you at the 2022 international Flakes Summit. You can even sign me up as a keynote speaker, provided there will be complimentary 1792.

[Mister Moo]

Since I originally posted this 5 years ago & it had taken me 2 years then to "figure flakes out". I'll see you at the 2022 international Flakes Summit. You can even sign me up as a keynote speaker, provided there will be complimentary 1792.

I was thinking more along the lines of Cakalackie BBQ but, 1792, sure.

[BryGuySC]

I was thinking more along the lines of Cakalackie BBQ but, 1792, sure.

Mmm. Love that Carolina BBQ!

[Lostmason]

ARGHHHH,,,stopped a few stores to get some OTC to try the musketball and they didn't have any ,,mo Cap't ,no PA,no Borkum,,,nothing.I hate waiting,,it just suuucckksss

[Emperor Zurg]

You can even sign me up as a keynote speaker, provided there will be complimentary 1792.
Speaking of 1792 and flakes, what's your secret to smoking this stuff? Such nice, stong flavors in this weed but it seems to be the most incombustible substance I've ever put into a pipe. I can't ever keep it burning for more than a couple minutes. I've had the best success rubbing it out while still wet (if you try to rub a dry flake out it crumbles to dust and tiny toothpicks) then letting it dry a bit and loading loosely. I've tried the fold and stuff and it just will not burn and makes a lot of moisture.

[Branzig]

Speaking of 1792 and flakes, what's your secret to smoking this stuff? Such nice, stong flavors in this weed but it seems to be the most incombustible substance I've ever put into a pipe. I can't ever keep it burning for more than a couple minutes. I've had the best success rubbing it out while still wet (if you try to rub a dry flake out it crumbles to dust and tiny toothpicks) then letting it dry a bit and loading loosely. I've tried the fold and stuff and it just will not burn and makes a lot of moisture.

A lot of it is the oil inside the tobacco. A lot of SG flakes suffer from this unfortunately.

I like to rub the flake out, then put it back in the tin and let it sit in there for about 3 weeks undisturbed. That seems to evaporate the perfect amount of water as well as oil to where it still smokes even and dry, but isn't so dry that it becomes harsh.

I also like to smoke all SG flakes in a big wide open draw pipe.

[Emperor Zurg]

A lot of it is the oil inside the tobacco. A lot of SG flakes suffer from this unfortunately.

I like to rub the flake out, then put it back in the tin and let it sit in there for about 3 weeks undisturbed. That seems to evaporate the perfect amount of water as well as oil to where it still smokes even and dry, but isn't so dry that it becomes harsh.

I also like to smoke all SG flakes in a big wide open draw pipe.

I'll have to try your rub-out method next time. Right now I've got another cob bowl loaded up and waiting with folded and stuffed 1792. Little drier than last time, little looser pack. I intend to fill my lighter to the max and do battle with it as I drive across town for a delivery :pipe: I expect an empty lighter and mostly empty pipe by the time I get back :p

[Mister Moo]

Speaking of 1792 and flakes, what's your secret to smoking this stuff? Such nice, stong flavors in this weed but it seems to be the most incombustible substance I've ever put into a pipe. I can't ever keep it burning for more than a couple minutes. I've had the best success rubbing it out while still wet (if you try to rub a dry flake out it crumbles to dust and tiny toothpicks) then letting it dry a bit and loading loosely. I've tried the fold and stuff and it just will not burn and makes a lot of moisture.

1792 bulk is always much drier, ready to smoke, when I buy it. As you're figuring out with LBF, each flake has its' own character for how it burns and tamps. Starting with a new flake, for me, always begins with a meer (to know the flavor) and one dry-ish flake well rubbed out. Trouble with 1792 is, most people smoke half a bowl and they're done with it for life. It is weird tasting and, from the get-go, a little bit of a fight. Worth it, though. :D

1792 is part of a world of leathery flakes that are a bear to burn without drying and rubbing out. However, in flavor-world, the bears are great. 1792, Full Virginia Flake, Stonehaven... there must be more.

[Branzig]

I'll have to try your rub-out method next time. Right now I've got another cob bowl loaded up and waiting with folded and stuffed 1792. Little drier than last time, little looser pack. I intend to fill my lighter to the max and do battle with it as I drive across town for a delivery :pipe: I expect an empty lighter and mostly empty pipe by the time I get back :p

I don't know how you do it...I get too frustrated with tobacco that won't stay lit :p

If it won't stay lit fairly consistently, I will just put the pipe down and come back to it later when it wants to behave itself again.

[commonsenseman]

Speaking of 1792 and flakes, what's your secret to smoking this stuff? Such nice, stong flavors in this weed but it seems to be the most incombustible substance I've ever put into a pipe. I can't ever keep it burning for more than a couple minutes. I've had the best success rubbing it out while still wet (if you try to rub a dry flake out it crumbles to dust and tiny toothpicks) then letting it dry a bit and loading loosely. I've tried the fold and stuff and it just will not burn and makes a lot of moisture.


A lot of it is the oil inside the tobacco. A lot of SG flakes suffer from this unfortunately.

I like to rub the flake out, then put it back in the tin and let it sit in there for about 3 weeks undisturbed. That seems to evaporate the perfect amount of water as well as oil to where it still smokes even and dry, but isn't so dry that it becomes harsh.

I also like to smoke all SG flakes in a big wide open draw pipe.


I'll have to try your rub-out method next time. Right now I've got another cob bowl loaded up and waiting with folded and stuffed 1792. Little drier than last time, little looser pack. I intend to fill my lighter to the max and do battle with it as I drive across town for a delivery :pipe: I expect an empty lighter and mostly empty pipe by the time I get back :p


1792 bulk is always much drier, ready to smoke, when I buy it. As you're figuring out with LBF, each flake has its' own character for how it burns and tamps. Starting with a new flake, for me, always begins with a meer (to know the flavor) and one dry-ish flake well rubbed out. Trouble with 1792 is, most people smoke half a bowl and they're done with it for life. It is weird tasting and, from the get-go, a little bit of a fight. Worth it, though. :D

1792 is part of a world of leathery flakes that are a bear to burn without drying and rubbing out. However, in flavor-world, the bears are great. 1792, Full Virginia Flake, Stonehaven... there must be more.

Wow, so much good advice. I agree, 1792 is a very difficult flake to smoke, one of the hardest. It's dense, thick & wet. It's also tough because the flake thickness varies so much. The best bowls I've had required the tobacco to be very dry, and for me to smoke very slowly. Like, barely burning slowly. Folded & stuffed is good, but it expands a TON. I like to use medium thick flakes for the folded part & thin, almost dusty stuff for the "top-dressing". When rubbed out, I prefer a shallow, large bowl. When folded & stuffed, I almost always prefer a taller bowl.

Experiment with dryness & method. Keep us posted with your results.

[Emperor Zurg]

Went a little better this time around. The stuff seems to burn the best after a 'crowd to center' tamp (or strand re-arranging more like it). I really like this weed alongside a can or 2 of cola. At times it reminds me a little of Penzance, at other times it reminds me of Dr Pepper. 2 hours on 1 thin half of a flake. I'm relaxed now and want to take a nap.

[commonsenseman]

Went a little better this time around. The stuff seems to burn the best after a 'crowd to center' tamp (or strand re-arranging more like it). I really like this weed alongside a can or 2 of cola. At times it reminds me a little of Penzance, at other times it reminds me of Dr Pepper. 2 hours on 1 thin half of a flake. I'm relaxed now and want to take a nap.

Glad it worked out ok. I'll try the cola trick next time.

Wow, 2 hours is intense, you WERE smoking it slowly.

[Emperor Zurg]

Wow, 2 hours is intense, you WERE smoking it slowly.
Well I bought it in a 250g box so it was half of one of those flakes, albeit a very thin one.
First thing I do when I get a box like that is cut all the flakes in half so they fit in a squatty pint mason jar.

[commonsenseman]

Well I bought it in a 250g box so it was half of one of those flakes, albeit a very thin one.
First thing I do when I get a box like that is cut all the flakes in half so they fit in a squatty pint mason jar.
Well, crap. Jumbo flakes are a whole different bowl of fish.

[Haebar]

With fold n' stuff, I like watching the tobacco embers heave up when the burning tobacco expands. It helps keep the smoke interesting.

[Preferido83]

Great post. I am about two seconds away from giving up on flakes. I have rubbed, fold and stuffed etc and cannot get the flake to stay lit at all, thus making me puff more which makes for a very unenjoyable smoke


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[commonsenseman]

Great post. I am about two seconds away from giving up on flakes. I have rubbed, fold and stuffed etc and cannot get the flake to stay lit at all, thus making me puff more which makes for a very unenjoyable smoke


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Don't give up! It takes years to master flakes, but it is totally worth it. Some of the best tobaccos in the world are flakes.

[mooster]

Great post. I am about two seconds away from giving up on flakes. I have rubbed, fold and stuffed etc and cannot get the flake to stay lit at all, thus making me puff more which makes for a very unenjoyable smoke


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If you're still having this trouble with a completely rubbed out flake, I'm figuring it's a Samuel Gawith flake? If that's the case, rub it out, load a bowl today, then wait and smoke it tomorrow.

[mooster]

Some of the best tobaccos in the world are flakes.

Amen to that!

[Preferido83]

If you're still having this trouble with a completely rubbed out flake, I'm figuring it's a Samuel Gawith flake? If that's the case, rub it out, load a bowl today, then wait and smoke it tomorrow.

Nothing something as simple as erinmore flake. I have rubbed out and fold and stuffed and absolutely no luck keeping it lit either way.


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[Branzig]

Nothing something as simple as erinmore flake. I have rubbed out and fold and stuffed and absolutely no luck keeping it lit either way.


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Well still rub it out and leave it in the pipe overnight. Smoke it the next day.

If it doesn't stay lit after that I would say it is packed too tightly or tamped to often.

[freestoke]

Flake just doesn't fire up the way ribbon, shag or crimp-cut does. While slow and gently puffing works once it is lit, a flake needs a vigorous, thorough first light, a tamp and relight or two (once again pretty strong) just to get that top ash smoothed out and an ember started. That top layer of ash, gently leveled, allows the flame to light the entire surface more easily. I really fire it up at first. Once the ember is established, you can back way down and it will stay lit for a long time even without puffing on it. I've set a pipe full of flake down for possibly ten minutes, and with a little damping and soft tamping, brought it back to life again. I think new flake smokers are a bit shy and gentle with that first few lights. Even rubbed out, a flake is a bit lumpier than ribbon or shag, and doesn't flash-burn. It's like kindling compared to wood shavings.

[Branzig]

Flake just doesn't fire up the way ribbon, shag or crimp-cut does. While slow and gently puffing works once it is lit, a flake needs a vigorous, thorough first light, a tamp and relight or two (once again pretty strong) just to get that top ash smoothed out and an ember started. That top layer of ash, gently leveled, allows the flame to light the entire surface more easily. I really fire it up at first. Once the ember is established, you can back way down and it will stay lit for a long time even without puffing on it. I've set a pipe full of flake down for possibly ten minutes, and with a little damping and soft tamping, brought it back to life again. I think new flake smokers are a bit shy and gentle with that first few lights. Even rubbed out, a flake is a bit lumpier than ribbon or shag, and doesn't flash-burn. It's like kindling compared to wood shavings.

You bring up a great point Jim.

When I light up a loose cut blend, I always draw light and think, "I am lighting a pipe here" but when I light flake I try to think of it more as lighting up a cigar. Big, full draws and trying to get a nice even char and burn going.

Initially, my mind set with a flake is to treat it more like a cigar.

[Nature]

I had an opportunity to try this method with ODF. I used one flake, folded it in half, then layed my pipe by the side to estimate the bowl depth. I determined that I needed to fold the doubled over flake into thirds again in order to get it to fit as it was somewhat of a shallow bowl. I used the bits that fell away during the folding process to sprinkle on the top, but did not rub out further.

I initially had problems getting it to stay lit. I thought I had it going, then within only a few puffs, it went out. The flake didn't seem overly moist at all. The draw seemed very loose. After a couple of tries, I gave the tobacco a tamp, then tried again. Third time was the charm! Maybe these were the false lights Jeff referred to. Once I got it going though, it burned like a champ with only light sipping draws. I didn't feel the need to tamp it again until more than halfway through. I had very few relights the rest of the way.

Thanks for sharing your method Jeff. I will certainly repeat this again to get it down.

[commonsenseman]

I had an opportunity to try this method with ODF. I used one flake, folded it in half, then layed my pipe by the side to estimate the bowl depth. I determined that I needed to fold the doubled over flake into thirds again in order to get it to fit as it was somewhat of a shallow bowl. I used the bits that fell away during the folding process to sprinkle on the top, but did not rub out further.

I initially had problems getting it to stay lit. I thought I had it going, then within only a few puffs, it went out. The flake didn't seem overly moist at all. The draw seemed very loose. After a couple of tries, I gave the tobacco a tamp, then tried again. Third time was the charm! Maybe these were the false lights Jeff referred to. Once I got it going though, it burned like a champ with only light sipping draws. I didn't feel the need to tamp it again until more than halfway through. I had very few relights the rest of the way.

Thanks for sharing your method Jeff. I will certainly repeat this again to get it down.
Sounds like a success to me. Getting it started certainly can be the hardest part!